System and method for procuring taxicab service

• US 10,453,107 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roche, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Shanker, Julie M
• Application Number:
  US11/830,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,467 Days
• Field of Search: 705 5, 705 11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a dispatch system having a controller element to receive from a communication device a first wireless message including a location coordinate and a request for taxicab service, and determine available taxicab services according to the location coordinate and the request. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor of a mobile communication device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining a location coordinate of the mobile communication device using a location receiver of the mobile communication device that processes signals to determine the location coordinate;

presenting an icon on a display device of the mobile communication device, the icon being associated with obtaining a car service;

in conjunction with receiving a selection of the icon, generating a first wireless message transmitted over a network to a plurality of dispatch centers causing the plurality of dispatch centers to provide a response wirelessly, wherein the responses comprises general car service information associated with each dispatch center of the plurality of dispatch centers;

presenting the general car service information associated with each dispatch center of the plurality of dispatch centers on the display device of the mobile communication device;

responsive to the presenting of the general car service information, receiving first user input from equipment of a user via a user interface of the mobile communication device, wherein the first user input identifies a user selected dispatch center of the plurality of dispatch centers;

responsive to the receiving of the first user input;

generating a description of a requested vehicle service according to the first user input, wherein the description identifies a type of automobile;

generating a second wireless message that includes the location coordinate and the description of the requested vehicle service;

transmitting the second wireless message from the mobile communication device over a network to the user selected dispatch center including a dispatch processor comprising a circuit and memory to cause the dispatch processor to determine match percentages for a group of vehicles associated with the user selected dispatch center, and to select a subgroup of proposed vehicles from among the group of vehicles associated with the user selected dispatch center, wherein the match percentages are determined according to the location coordinate of the mobile communication device, the description of the requested vehicle service, location information for the group of vehicles, wherein the selection of the subgroup of proposed vehicles from among the group of vehicles by the dispatch processor is performed according to the match percentages and without drivers of the subgroup of proposed vehicles responding to the second wireless message, and wherein an availability for the subgroup of proposed vehicles is determined by the dispatch processor according to an availability response received by the dispatch processor from communication devices of the subgroup of proposed vehicles;

receiving a third wireless message at the mobile communication device over the network from the dispatch processor of the user selected dispatch center, wherein the third wireless message comprises match percentages for the subgroup of proposed vehicles, an arrival time of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, average service fees for the requested vehicle service, and proposed service fees for the requested vehicle service to be provided by the subgroup of proposed vehicles, wherein the proposed service fees for the requested vehicle service to be provided by the subgroup of proposed vehicles are at rates that are determined via negotiations associated with the subgroup of proposed vehicles and the dispatch processor prior to the transmitting of the second wireless message, wherein the rates that are determined via the negotiations with the dispatch processor are based on communications between the dispatch processor and the communication devices of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, wherein the requested vehicle service is paid for by way of credit card data associated with the user of the mobile communication device, wherein the credit card data is obtained by the dispatch processor to cause the dispatch processor to complete a payment transaction for the requested vehicle service; and

presenting on the display device of the mobile communication device, particular car service information comprising the arrival time of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, the average service fees for the requested vehicle service, the match percentages of the subgroup of proposed vehicles and the proposed service fees for the requested vehicle service at the display device of the mobile communication device;

receiving second user input from the equipment of the user via the user interface of the mobile communication device, wherein the second user input determines a selected one of the subgroup of proposed vehicles according to the presenting of the particular car service information associated with each vehicle of the subgroup of proposed vehicles; and

responsive to the receiving of the second user input, providing a fourth wireless message to the dispatch processor of the user selected dispatch center to cause the dispatch processor to notify the selected one of the subgroup of proposed vehicles to initiate the requested vehicle service such that the selected one of the subgroup of proposed vehicles provides the requested vehicle service.

2. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the first user input via the user interface comprises a selection by the user of an icon presented on the display device of the mobile communication device, and wherein the availability response received by the dispatch processor from the communication device of the selected one of the subgroup of proposed vehicles comprises a text message.

3. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the description of the requested vehicle service identifies a desired pickup time and a number of passengers.

4. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the availability for each vehicle of the group of vehicles is determined by the dispatch processor according to monitoring communications of communication devices of each vehicle of the group of vehicles, and wherein the third wireless message comprises an identification of the drivers of the subgroup of proposed vehicles.

5. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise providing payment information including the credit card data from the mobile communication device over the network to the dispatch processor.

6. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the description of the requested vehicle service comprises a destination.

7. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first wireless message corresponds to an instant messaging message.

8. A dispatch system, comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a controller circuit comprising a processing system including a processor coupled with the memory, wherein the controller circuit, responsive to executing the instructions, facilitates performance of operations comprising;

receiving a first wireless message requesting general car service information over a network from a mobile communication device;

determining payment information for a user of the mobile communication device, wherein the payment information includes credit card data associated with the user;

generating and providing a second wireless message over the network to the mobile communication device providing the general car service information of a vehicle service associated with a car service company before determining a location coordinate of the mobile communication device;

receiving a third wireless message over a network from the mobile communication device responsive to the providing of the general car service information, wherein the third wireless message comprises the location coordinate derived from a location receiver in the mobile communication device and a request for the vehicle service generated by the mobile communication device according to user input at the mobile communication device;

monitoring an availability for a group of vehicles, wherein the group of vehicles are of a plurality of different car service companies;

determining match percentages for the group of vehicles, wherein the match percentage is determined according to the location coordinate of the mobile communication device, the request for the vehicle service and location information for the group of vehicles;

selecting a plurality of proposed vehicles from among the group of vehicles according to the match percentages;

generating and providing a fourth wireless message over the network to the mobile communication device responsive to the selecting of the plurality of proposed vehicles, wherein the fourth wireless message comprises an identification of the plurality of proposed vehicles and the match percentages for presentation at a user interface of the mobile communication device,

wherein the vehicle service provided by the plurality of proposed vehicles is at a service fee that is determined via a negotiation with the controller circuit prior to the receiving of the third wireless message;

receiving an acceptance message from the mobile communication device, wherein the acceptance message identifies a selected vehicle from among the plurality of proposed vehicles, wherein the negotiation with the controller circuit is based on communications between the controller circuit and a communication device of the selected vehicle; and

responsive to the receiving of the acceptance message, generating and providing a dispatch message to the communication device of the selected vehicle to cause presentation of the dispatch message by the communication device.

9. The dispatch system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise completing a payment transaction for the vehicle service at the service fee utilizing the credit card data.

10. The dispatch system of claim 9, wherein the fourth wireless message identifies an arrival time for each of the plurality of proposed vehicles.

11. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the request comprises a requested pickup time, a destination, and a number of passengers to be transported to the destination.

12. The dispatch system of claim 8, wherein the request identifies a type of automobile.

13. A method, comprising:

determining, by a dispatch processing system of a plurality of dispatch processing systems including a processor comprising a circuit, payment information for a user of a mobile communication device;

receiving, by the dispatch processing system, a first wireless message over a network from the mobile communication device, wherein the first wireless message comprises a location coordinate derived from a location receiver in the mobile communication device and a request for a vehicle service generated by the mobile communication device from user input, wherein other dispatch processing systems of the plurality of dispatch processing systems receive wireless messages from the mobile communications device comprising the location coordinate and the request;

responsive to the receiving of the request for the vehicle service;

monitoring, by the dispatch processing system, an availability for a group of vehicles, wherein the group of vehicles are of a plurality of different car service companies;

determining, by the dispatch processing system, match percentages based on the location coordinate of the mobile communication device, the request for the vehicle service and location information for the group of vehicles;

selecting, by the dispatch processing system, a subgroup of proposed vehicles from among the group of vehicles according to the match percentages; and

generating and providing, by the dispatch processing system, a second wireless message over the network to the mobile communication device responsive to the selecting of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, wherein the second wireless message comprises arrival times of vehicles of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, average service fees for the vehicle service, the match percentages for presentation at a user interface of the mobile communication device, and proposed service fees for the vehicle service to be provided by the subgroup of proposed vehicles,

wherein the providing of the second wireless message causes the mobile communication device to present the arrival times of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, the average service fees for the vehicle service, and the proposed service fees for the vehicle service at a display device of the mobile communication device,

wherein the proposed service fees are determined via negotiations associated with the subgroup of proposed vehicles and the dispatch processing system prior to the receiving of the first wireless message,

wherein the proposed service fees that are determined via the negotiations with the dispatch processing system are based on communications between the dispatch processing system and communication devices of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, and

wherein the mobile communication device receives from another dispatch processing system of the plurality of dispatch processing systems an identification of an other plurality of proposed vehicles;

receiving, by the dispatch processing system, an acceptance message from the mobile communication device responsive to the second wireless message, wherein the acceptance message identifies a selected vehicle of the subgroup of proposed vehicles, based on a selection obtained by the user interface of the mobile communication device from among a presentation of the subgroup of proposed vehicles and the other plurality of proposed vehicles at the user interface of the mobile communication device;

responsive to the acceptance message, generating and providing, by the dispatch processing system, a dispatch message to the communication device of the selected vehicle to cause presentation of the dispatch message by the communication device; and

completing, by the dispatch processing system, a payment transaction for the vehicle service at a proposed service fee of the proposed service fees utilizing the payment information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the request identifies a type of automobile.